Rich Fudgy Chocolate Brownies (Printable version)
Rich, fudgy dark chocolate squares with a crackly top and irresistibly moist center—ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 2/3 cup (1 1/3 sticks) unsalted butter
02 - 7 oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped
03 - 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 1/2 tsp fine salt
→ Optional Add-Ins
10 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
11 - 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the brownies out later.
02 - In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt the butter and chopped chocolate together, stirring occasionally until completely smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
03 - Add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk until well blended and smooth.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is glossy and uniform.
05 - Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together directly into the batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this will toughen the texture.
06 - If desired, fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans and dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer using a spatula. Smooth the surface to ensure uniform thickness.
08 - Bake on the center rack for 22 to 25 minutes. The brownies are done when the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle. Avoid overbaking to maintain a fudgy interior.
09 - Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out and cut into 12 even squares.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The crackly top is achieveable every single time once you know the whisking trick that most recipes never mention.
- These brownies stay fudgy and moist for days if they last that long.
- You only need one bowl and zero fancy equipment to pull this off.
02 -
- Underbaking by even one minute is always better than overbaking because the brownies continue to set as they cool in the pan.
- Whisking the eggs vigorously into the warm chocolate mixture is what creates that shiny crackly top people obsess over.
03 -
- Let the melted chocolate cool for at least five minutes before adding eggs or you will end up with scrambled chocolate bits in your batter.
- A pinch of espresso powder dissolved into the melted chocolate makes the flavor dramatically deeper without tasting like coffee at all.